No matter what happens for the rest of time, Madonna will forever be remembered as not just a pop star, but one of the most commercially successful musicians of all time. In the past several years, a number of her records have been broken around the world as new powerhouses have emerged, and the way that weekly rankings are compiled has changed. As Madonna readies a new chapter in her pop career, one of her most impressive accomplishments has been bested in one of the largest music markets on the planet.
Taylor Swift conquers the U.K. albums chart this week with Lover (Live from Paris). The set was recently reissued on vinyl, and sales of the project throughout that country help it reappear on the list for only its second week, hitting No. 1 for the first time.
Lover (Live from Paris) marks Swift's thirteenth No. 1 album in the United Kingdom. As she collects one more winner, she breaks her historic tie with Madonna for the most leaders among women.
Throughout her career, Madonna has collected a dozen No. 1 albums across the pond. That proved to be enough for her to claim this special record among all female artists for many years, but Swift has been racking up champions in rapid succession for years now.
Swift has not announced another album, but chances are it won't be long before she's back with a new collection. In addition to writing and recording original material, Swift is also in the process of re-recording her first six full-lengths. She has two left to go before her ambitious project is over, and there's a good shot that both of them will spend at least a single turn at No. 1 in the U.K.
Swift will almost certainly put more distance between herself and Madonna before the latter act can deliver a new project. While the elder superstar has been teasing new music, there's no timeline yet for when fans may hear it, and at this point in her career, it's not 100% guaranteed that anything she releases will rise to the top spot...though she remains a legend in the U.K.
With a thirteenth No. 1 album in the U.K., Swift breaks her tie with Madonna and starts another with one more beloved musical icon. Elvis Presley earned just as many leaders in the European nation during, and after, his lifetime.
Lover (Live from Paris) debuted on the main ranking of the most-consumed albums in the U.K. in very early 2023. The live recording, which focuses on the one concert Swift got to give connected to her album Lover before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down future plans, opened at No. 90 and then fell away immediately. Almost exactly two years later, it reappears at No. 1, giving Swift not only a lucky thirteenth ruler, but also her sixteenth career top 10.